Hidatsa Shield Figure Bean
The Hidasta Indians were experts at raising crops of corn, squash,
beans and sunflowers in the Missouri River Valley of North Dakota.
Dual crop of beans climbing up the corn stalks were often grown in
their gardens. The Shield Figure bean was grown in Buffalo Bird
Woman's Garden. Pole habit, 90 days
The Hidatsa Shield Figure bean is called Ama'ca ita' wina'ki
matu'hica in Buffalo Bird Woman's language.
Maxi'diwiac (Buffalo Bird Woman) (ca.1839-1932) recounted her life
and gardening and it is in the book Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden. I
believe you can read it in full at
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/buffalo/garden/garden.html
or possibly check it out at your local library.
How To Cook Dry Beans
Before Cooking - There are several accepted ways of
preparing dry beans for cooking. All start with a thorough washing in
cold water and inspection for damaged beans and foreign material. If
you have time to cook the variety you have chosen until it reaches
the desired tenderness, soaking is not essential. However, most cooks
prefer some method of soaking to shorten cooking time and to improve
either flavor, texture, appearance or digestibility. In either of the
soaking methods below, it is recommended that the soaking water be
discarded and the beans rinsed and cooked in fresh water.
Soaking Tips -Recent studies have shown that bringing
beans to a boil, then soaking for 12 or more hours makes them more
digestible. Therefore, the revised method for traditional soaking is
given here. The quick method is acceptable for occasions when time is
limited.
Traditional Method: Wash one pound dry beans. Add to 10 cups boiling
water; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and soak 12 hours or
overnight. Drain, rinse and cook.
Quick Method: Wash one pound dry beans. Add to 10 cups boiling water;
boil 2 to 1 minutes. Cover and soak 1 to 4 hours. Drain, rinse and
cook. Be sure pot is large enough to allow beans to expand 2-1/2
times.
Cooking/Storage Tips Cooking Method: Drain and rinse soaked beans;
put into large kettle. Add 6 cups hot water, 1 to 2 tablespoons
shortening or oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Boil gently with lid tilted
until tender. Cooking time will range from 30 to 60 minutes,
depending on variety of bean.
* Simmer beans slowly. Cooking too fast can break skins.
* Cook enough beans for more than one meal at a time. For storing a
day or two, cover and refrigerate. For longer storage, freeze in
airtight plastic bags or freezer-proof containers.
Bean Equivalents - One pound of dry beans equals about
2-1/4 cups dry or 5 to 6 cups cooked beans. One can (15-1/2 oz.),
drained, equals about 1-2/3 cups.
Boston Baked Beans (Dry K
Yield: 100 Servings
Ingredients
2 1/2 ga water; cold
1 qt water; hot
1 lb bacon; sliced fz
9 lb beans kidney #10
1 lb sugar; brown, 2 lb
1/4 c vinegar cider
2 1/3 tb salt table 5lb
Instructions
1. PICK OVER BEANS REMOVING DISCOLORED BEANS AND FOREIGN MATTER. WASH
BEANS THOROUGHLY.
2. COVER WITH WATER. BRING TO A BOIL. BOIL 2 MINUTES. TURN OFF HEAT.
3. COVER; LET SOAK 1 HOUR.
4. BRING BEANS TO A BOIL; ADD MORE WATER IF NECESSARY TO KEEP BEANS
COVERED. SIMMER 1 1/2 HOURS OR UNTIL TENDER (NOT MUSHY).
5. DRAIN BEANS. RESERVE LIQUID AND BEANS.
6. COMBINE SALT, MUSTARD FLOUR, BROWN SUGAR, VINEGAR, MOLASSES,
RESERVED LIQUID AND WATER, AND BACON. ADD TO BEANS; MIX WELL.
7. POUR ABOUT 20 LB 2 OZ (7 1/2 QT) BEAN MIXTURE INTO EACH LIGHTLY
GREASED PAN; COVER. IF CONVECTION OVEN IS USED, BAKE AT 325 DEGREE
F, 1 HOUR TO 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (OR UNTIL SAUCE IS JUST BELOW SURFACE
OF BEANS) ON HIGH FAN, CLOSED VENT. UNCOVER; STIR; BAKE ADDITIONAL
Native Ways that Buffalo Bird Woman had beans
Ama'ca Di'he?, or Beans-Boiled. The beans were boiled in a clay pot
with a piece of buffalo fat, or some bone grease. If the beans were
dried beans, they were boiled a little longer than squash is boiled-a
half hour or more. Spring salt, or other seasoning, was not used.
Green beans, shelled from the pod, were sometimes prepared thus
boiled with buffalo fat or bone grease; but green beans did not have
to be boiled quite as long as dried beans.
Green Beans Boiled in the Pod. Green beans in the pod we boiled and
ate as a vegetable from the time they came in until fall; but we did
not plant beans, as we did corn, to make them come in late in the
season, that we might then eat them green.
Green beans in the pod were boiled in a clay pot, with a little fat
thrown in. Pods and seeds were eaten together.
But a green bean pod has in it two little strings that are not very
good to eat. At meal time the boiled pod was taken up in the fingers
and carried to the eater's mouth. At one end of the pod is always a
kind of little hook; the unbroken pod was taken into the mouth with
this little hook forward, between the teeth; and the eater, seizing
the little hook between thumb and finger, drew it out of his mouth
with the two little strings that were always attached to the hook.
Green Corn and Beans. Pounded green shelled corn was often boiled
with green beans, shelled from the pod.
tenzicut